Jardim Zoológico de Lisboa

The Jardim Zoológico de Lisboa opened in 1884, which the zoo says made it the first park of its kind in the Iberian Peninsula, and it has been on its present site in the old Quinta das Laranjeiras since 1905. Today it keeps about 2,000 animals of roughly 300 species, from mammals and birds to reptiles and amphibians. It’s in the middle of the city, with the metro station named after it right outside, so it’s one of the easiest big days out in Lisbon without a car.

Plan for a full day. The zoo is large, the shows are spread through the day, and most children want to see the tigers, the gorillas and the elephants at the very least.

The Vale dos Tigres (Tigers’ Valley) is on the main avenue just past the ticket office. It has Siberian tigers, the biggest cats alive, and Sumatran tigers, the smallest tiger subspecies, with long, thin stripes. There are no bars, only glass and mesh. Climb the steps to the covered temple in the middle and you’ll find eight tall acrylic tubes, one for each tiger subspecies, filled to show how many are left in the wild. Three are empty, because the Bali, Caspian and Javan tigers are extinct. It makes extinction easy for a child to picture.

The Templo dos Primatas (Primates’ Temple) is home to chimpanzees, gorillas and orangutans, with trees, waterfalls, ponds and wooden platforms outside. Inside, you can look into the animals’ night quarters and sometimes watch them receive veterinary checks.

The Savana MEO recreates the African savannah in three connected spaces for Angolan giraffes, African savannah elephants with small antelopes called nyalas, and common hippos in a big pool. The zoo’s elephant page explains that the species was moved from “vulnerable” to “endangered” because of ivory poaching and habitat loss.

The Tapada do Lince-ibérico is the enclosure for two Iberian lynx, Fábula and Drago, planted with cork oaks, wild olives and herbs to look like the Portuguese montado. Drago came from the national lynx breeding centre in Silves, where he fathered 23 cubs, 20 of which were released into the wild. For many visitors, the zoo says, these two are the first lynx they have ever seen.

Lions, zebras and many birds complete the list. The zoo warns that individual attractions can close at short notice for technical or animal-welfare reasons.

Reptile fans should head for the Reptilário, which the zoo describes as home to some of the most fascinating reptiles in the world: a Komodo dragon, a reticulated python, a Philippine sailfin dragon, a rhinoceros iguana, a huge American alligator and the tiny Egyptian tortoise. There are also a few amphibians and invertebrates. It opens from 10:00 to 20:00 in summer and 10:00 to 18:00 in winter, and being indoors, it’s a good place to go on a scorching afternoon or when it starts to rain.

Presentations are included in the ticket. At the Bosque Encantado, trainers fly birds low over the audience at 12:30 and 16:00, explaining the difference between predators and prey and between day and night birds; some mammals and reptiles appear too. The 20-minute show doesn’t run in rain or strong wind. The pelicans are fed at 11:45 every day, a 10-minute session about what the famous beak pouch is for.

Dolphin Bay holds 20-minute presentations about ocean conservation and marine litter, at 11:00, 14:30 and 16:30 in summer and 11:00 (not Tuesdays) and 14:30 in winter. A show doesn’t go ahead with fewer than 30 people watching. When we checked, Dolphin Bay was closed to the public from 21 September to 3 October 2026, so check before promising it.

The teleférico (cable car) is included too. It takes about 20 minutes and glides over the enclosures, so children look down on the animals from above. Under-12s must ride with an adult over 18 carrying ID. Buggies and wheelchairs can’t go in the cabins, and it stops in rain or strong wind. When checked, it was also closed on 26 October, 30 November and 28 December 2026. Last rides are at 19:30 in summer and 17:30 in winter.

The zoo train isn’t included. It runs Wednesday to Sunday, costs €1 for adults and €0.50 for children aged 3 to 12 and over-65s, and tickets are only sold on the spot. The zoo says it isn’t recommended for people with reduced mobility.

The Quintinha do Lidl is a small farm with donkeys and rabbits and a vegetable garden where children can spot a lemon tree, carrots, lettuces and strawberries, smell herbs such as oregano, basil and rosemary, and watch carrots and turnips growing underground through clear acrylic panels. It’s open all day.

Under-3s go free. If a three to ten-year-old’s legs give up, the zoo hires out buggies at the ticket office: €7 for a single, €9 for a double, with a €20 cash deposit. There’s a baby space with changing facilities.

From 1 January 2026 tickets cost €31 for adults aged 13 to 64, €19 for children aged 3 to 12 and €22 for over-65s; under-3s go free and you may be asked for ID. Buying online takes 5% off and gives you 120 days to use the ticket. There are also two ticket machines just before the ticket office, which take cards only and don’t apply discounts. Visitors with a declared disability of 60% or more get 30% off at the ticket office.

The zoo opens every day of the year from 10:00. From 21 September to 20 March it closes at 18:00 (ticket office until 17:15); from 21 March to 20 September it closes at 20:00 (ticket office until 18:45). You can leave and come back on the same day, which helps if someone needs a break or a nap in the car.

The free-access area by the entrance has a McDonald’s, Guaraná Brasil, Papa Zoo and a coffee shop, the zoo shop, cash machines and toilets. Inside there are two snack bars and a renovated picnic area in the Bosque Encantado with tables, plenty of shade, toilets and little bird houses made of recycled material for children to play in. Lockers cost €2 a day. Wheelchairs can be borrowed free from the security staff at the entrance, subject to availability.

The zoo’s holiday programmes are a real option for working parents. The ATL do Zoo takes children aged 6 to 16 at Easter, over ten summer weeks and at Christmas, grouped by age and school year. They go on themed trails, help keepers with enrichment activities for the animals and get behind-the-scenes visits; one 14-year-old’s review mentions the vet hospital and the kitchen where the animals’ food is made. Days run from 09:00 to 17:45, with lunch and an afternoon snack included. Three to five-year-olds have their own shorter Ateliers de Férias. Booking closes at noon on the Thursday before each week, and summer weeks fill up.

Scout troops and school groups (from age 6) can also book À Noite no Zoo, an overnight programme with a night-time keeper talk and a sleepover in the education centre, from March to October.

It’s a big site with a fair amount of walking, and summer afternoons are hot, so bring hats and water. Dogs aren’t allowed, including guide dogs; the zoo says some animals react unpredictably. Bikes, scooters, skates, balls and even balloons are banned, and children under 13 must come with an adult.

The zoo takes a whole day, so pairing it with something else is hard. For a second animal day, compare it with the Oceanário de Lisboa in Parque das Nações, or go small and old-fashioned at the Aquário Vasco da Gama. Badoca Safari Park in the Alentejo has a safari ride.

How long do you need at Lisbon Zoo?

Most of a day. The main animals, a show or two and the cable car fill a morning and an afternoon with children, with lunch in between.

Is the cable car included in the ticket?

Yes. The cable car and all the shows are included. Only the zoo train costs extra, at €1 for adults and €0.50 for children.

Can you take a buggy?

Yes. Buggies can go round the zoo but not into the cable car cabins. You can also hire one on the day for a child aged 3 to 10.

Can you bring your own food?

Yes. There’s a shaded picnic area with tables and toilets in the Bosque Encantado.

Are the dolphins on?

Usually, several times a day, but Dolphin Bay was closed from 21 September to 3 October 2026 and shows need at least 30 people watching. Check the zoo’s page on the day.